


Steve's First Fish

by lilnaugrim



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Business Trip, Fish, Fluff, M/M, pet death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-29 23:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3914641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve loves Gallifrey and trusts Tony to take care of his betta fish while he goes away for a few days on Avengers business. Tony doesn't disappoint him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steve's First Fish

**Author's Note:**

> Warning--fish death. I don't go into too much detail so I promise it's not too traumatizing!

                Three days to be without Steve was a very long time for Tony to be handling. Of course it was always worse when Tony was the one being left at the mansion and Steve was going to California for Avengers Business.

  "Tony, could you take care of Gallifrey for me while I'm gone? He eats about three or four pellets from these containers. It's best to feed him at night since he's most active during the night time for some reason. Also don't worry about cleaning the water, I've already done that. Make sure to keep his light on and the heater going, it tends to get cold in here at night and make sure the temper—"

  "Whoa, whoa, Steve, why do _I_ have to take care of him? Can't Clint or Bruce do it? Someone who's not going to screw this up?" Tony leaned against the door to Steve's room as he watched Steve run around packing a bag for the trip, but he stopped when Tony spoke.

  "Tony, don't be silly. If you haven't noticed Bruce is currently in Africa trying out some of his new medicine and Clint is not responsible enough to handle Gallifrey—"

  "How dare you say that Captain! You offend me!" Clint ran by seemingly chasing after something. Tony looked after him but only rolled his eyes and looked back at Steve who was giving a little smirk.

  "Do you really have to go?" Tony whined as he moved into the room and closed the door, still leaning against the wall nonchalantly. Steve sighed and walked up to Tony to kiss him gently with a smile.

  "Now _you_ know how I feel when you leave all the time," Steve whispered with his hands rubbing gently at Tony's arms. Tony leaned fully against the wall and looked up at Steve with a frown.

  "Can't I come with you? I mean it's not like Fury said I couldn't hide in your suitcase right?" Tony gripped the front of Steve's shirt. Steve pulled him forward into a hug, Tony went willingly.

  "Tony you know that Fury didn't want you to come. I don't know his reasoning's behind it but he explicitly told you not to tag along on this one. Promise me you'll be good?" Steve kissed the top of his head, Tony's hair always smelled wonderful to him.

  "It's not fair."

  "Now you're just being childish," Steve smirked which got Tony to smile.

  "Am not."

  "Are too," Steve chuckled and held his boyfriend closer, "it's only a few days Tony, half the time you're gone for two weeks at a time. You can make it through this," he rubbed Tony's back. Tony shook his head and pushed into Steve's hold.

  "Yeah but my will isn't as strong as yours so if I just happen to fly out to California tomorrow morning and surprise you in bed then it's not my fault and Fury can suck my large—"

  "Tony!" Steve interrupted as Tony looked up to him and smiled. "You're going to stay here and if there's an emergency then you'll have to lead the Avengers Tony. You can't be in two places at once and you're needed here," Steve pushed Tony away a little to see his face.

  "But what if _you_ need me?" Tony pouted and Steve chuckled as he lightly pecked his lover's lips.

  "Just take care of my Betta fish would you? I'll call you tomorrow to check up and send you a text when I land, alright?" Steve said quietly but let go to finish packing up his clothes. Tony stayed against the wall but pouted heavily.

  "Fine but you should call me tonight and we can have phone sex, okay?" Tony sighed and went to hug his super soldier from behind.

  "Tony…we just—" Steve turned himself around and was pushed down to sit on the bed as Tony climbed up on him to straddle his thighs.

  "You know we've still got twenty minutes, we could get a quick fuck in before you leave," Tony continued to push Steve down onto the bed and kiss him tenderly, hoping to persuade his boyfriend.

  "No Tony, you can wait the weekend out," Steve looked at him fondly as Tony slumped and pouted the best he could. "You can do whatever you want but the answer will still be the same," Steve smiled and hooked his hand behind Tony's neck to thumb at the jaw line and play with the small beard hairs. Tony sighed softly as he closed his eyes at the touch, happy for anything right now. He was pleasantly surprised when Steve's lips came in contact with his and he kissed those soft lips, the nerve endings were sparkling and it felt like the fourth of July when he concentrated on it. He moaned against Steve's lips with the simple sensation as he caressed and cradled Steve's neck now.

 

                Two hours later Tony was sitting on Steve's empty but cleanly made bed, staring at the red Crown Tail Betta fish in its five gallon enclosure. The fish was turn was staring back at him, flaring out his fins. Tony started to glare at the fish.

  "I blame you, oh I blame you for everything you stupid, mindless fish!" Tony started to talk to it, the fish let out a bubble and Tony tried growling at it. "Oh don't you give me those bubbles!"

  "Sir, may I remind you this is a Betta fish, it has no vocal chords. However they do make sound when attracting a mate, it is common to use the swim bladder to amplify—" JARVIS started.

  "JARVIS, shut up! I don't care who I talk to, I talk to robots all fucking day. It's probably better that I talk to actual animals for a change," Tony folded his arms and gave a 'hmphf'. JARVIS stayed silent knowing his creator was just brewing about the absence of his partner. Tony stared at the fish as it swam around in its five gallon enclosure.

  "JARVIS?" Tony's brain started to turn as he thought about this fish in front of him.

  "Yes, sir?" JARVIS replied.

  "Can Betta fish be with other fish?" he asked. Tony started to brighten when he thought about getting or even building Steve a huge 50 or even 100 gallon fish tank! Before JARVIS even replied he was thinking about buying a whole bunch of Betta fish in all different colors and then this Betta wouldn't be alone!

  "Not with other Betta fish, however it can live with other peaceful community fish but each Betta has its own personality. Some can handle a community while others are less suited and live happily in 2.5 gallon tanks or larger with many live plants," JARVIS replied and Tony visibly slumped as he pouted.

  "Well there goes that Idea…I mean I could do the community thing—" he started but the fish flared again and he figured this fish would probably just kill the other fish and he didn't want Steve to have to deal with that. "Never mind…" Tony grumbled as he went back to looking at the red Betta. "I still can't believe he named the fish Gallifrey," Tony shook his head with a slight smile as he thought back to when he first introduced Steve to Doctor Who.

  "The Captain was very adamant about naming the Betta Gallifrey after he learned of the destruction of the Time Lord's home planet," JARVIS seemingly nodded along with Tony's comment.

  "Sensitive bastard," Tony mused as the fish floated to the bottom of his enclosure to nibble at some rocks. It was then that Tony noticed only two out of the three plugs coming from the tank were actually plugged in. He hummed to himself as he followed the cords with his eyes and noticed that the filter plug was limply hanging on the plug of the heater. He wondered why the filter wasn't on; didn't all fish need a filter? So without further ado Tony got up to go find a power strip so that the filter could be plugged in as well.

                When the filter was finally plugged in, just beside the heater and light, Tony stepped back and smile about himself.

  "Finally did something right," Tony sighed and scratched at his neck.

  "May I suggest—" JARVIS started but was abruptly cut off. Tony looked up to one of the camera's over the doorway in confusion why his AI would cut out like that.

  "JARVIS?" Tony asked; there was no reply, Tony grumbled more. "What the fuck, of all days for JARVIS to do this to me, that bastard!" Tony growled and stomped down to his workshop where the mainframe for JARVIS was kept.

                It took Tony three hours to figure out the virus that JARVIS had contracted. It was puzzling Tony why the A.I. could even get a virus and why he didn't just clean himself up like normal. It was just so unnatural for something like this to happen and Tony got distracted by the thoughts that someone else was trying to derail him or kidnap him again.

                Hours flew by after JARVIS was up and running again; Tony ran every diagnostic he could find on JARVIS. Once he was all cleaned up, Tony started to set up even more firewalls and safeguards to keep JARVIS running because if there were two things he couldn't live without anymore would be his reactor and JARVIS. JARVIS was the one that made his coffee, or rather brewed it and then Steve would dump nearly half the sugar bowl into it upon Tony's request for sweet coffee. JARVIS was the one that practically ran his life when Tony didn't want to anymore so it nearly scared Tony to death when JARVIS would shut down for maintenance or in this case, was shut down by someone else who probably wanted to kidnap him.

                Kidnapping was something else Tony Stark feared, or rather he didn't fear it himself, he feared that Pepper or now that Steve would be hurt or kidnapped themselves. He feared what would happen to the only people he loved and that loved him would be gone forever and he'd be alone once more. With this in mind he amped every one of his safe codes and firewalls to the max. He started to work on a little more defensive system so that this wouldn't happen again.

                By the time that Tony resurfaced into the world again, he had no idea what time it or what day, no idea how long Steve had actually been away. He realized how lonely it was with no one else around the mansion, the Avengers would stop by and stay over a few days sometimes but this week most of them were off doing their own things. He really felt alone and tired, he was feeling his age a little more these days and he wasn't really enjoying that.

Tony went into the kitchen to try and find some food. Looking into the fridge, his heart nearly melted right out of his arc reactor when he saw a plate of food with a sticky note on it. The note read: "Fuel for your work while I'm away, © Steve". Tony grinned and took the plate out which was covered in saran wrap. The food looked amazing as his stomach gave a loud growl in response.

  "Shush, I'll feed you in a second," Tony poked at his stomach and set to microwaving the delicious food which consisted of a thick piece of fried steak, medium rare like he liked it, mixed vegetables and a healthy scoop of mashed potatoes. "JARVIS, how long has Steve been away?"

  "The Captain arrived in California twenty two hours and three minutes ago," JARVIS replied, this would have shocked Tony to the length of time had this not happened all the time. Tony remembered that Steve was going to text him and plunged his hand into his pocket to dig out his phone. There was two texts from Steve, one telling him that he'd landed in California safely and another only an hour ago asking what Tony had been up to. Tony quickly calculated the time that California was in right now which was only about 6:28 in the morning, it was 9:28 in New York. Tony immediately called up Steve, putting in his earpiece so he didn't have to carry his phone while he ate.

  "Good morning, sweetheart," Tony greeted Steve when he picked up the phone.

  "Morning, you've been busy, huh?" Steve's sleepy reply came.

  "So have you if you were still sleeping," Tony smiled, taking out his food he set it on the table.

  "Yeah, it was a long day. How was your day?" Steve asked. Tony could tell that he was still in bed by the ruffling sound of a blanket and pillows.

  "Interesting, JARVIS was shut down with a virus for a few hours," Tony replied before he shoved a fork full of potatoes into his mouth.

  "Is he okay?" Steve asked, worriedly.

  "Yeah he's fine now, amped up the firewalls and safety and stuff," Tony nodded.

  "Good, have you slept at all then?"

  "No, stayed up all night fixing him and doing some other stuff," Tony replied as he worked at his vegetables knowing that Steve would yell at him if he didn't eat them. "How was the meeting?"

  "Boring, I wish you were here though," Steve sighed.

  "I could be there in an hour you know."

  "No, Tony, we can't."

  "Why not, Fury would never know, besides…I miss you," Tony stopped eating for a second to look at his left hand where Steve's fingers would normally be laced between his. He curled his fingers in and rubbed his thumb over his index finger in hopes to simulate the feeling of Steve's fingers but it still doesn't feel the same; there was no warmth.

  "I miss you too Tony," Steve said quietly as Tony stayed quiet, "I'll be home within 24 hours," Steve continued as Tony sighed quietly, missing his boyfriend.

  "It's too long…" Tony said quietly, Steve stayed silent for a few moments before speaking again.

  "I'll see what I can do about getting home sooner, till then I've got more meetings to go to and conferences to attend," Steve finally said as Tony rediscovered his food and began to eat once more.

  "You'd better, I'm dieing over here without you," Tony said with a smile and Steve huffed but chuckled all the same.

  "How's everyone else doing?" Steve continued, Tony could hear him getting out of bed like a good little soldier.

  "I don't know, haven't seen them since I came up here. Probably off being the idiots they are," Tony said mindlessly.

  "Tony," Steve reprimanded him and Tony just grinned.

  "Got to go, I've got a conference call in half hour with the Japanese Stock Holders. Love you, bye!" Tony rushed him and Steve rolled his eyes.

  "Love you too, make sure you feed Gallifrey please," Steve got in before Tony hung up on him. Tony smiled as he finished his food and sighed contently. He finally made his way up to the shower, completely forgetting about the fish in need.

                After a good fifteen minute shower, well it was actually more of a wanking session than a shower but that was typical for Tony even when Steve was around. Actually Steve usually showered with him anyway to 'save water' as Steve put it. It never got old with Tony.

                Finally on call with the Japanese, Tony felt it ended up with both parties more confused than when they started. There had been a money issue that Tony wasn't aware about and then more confusion on the Japanese side about the actual stock and what it entailed. There were too many things floating in Tony's head to even figure out what they were talking about. An hour later the call was postponed until they could talk to the board of directors of Stark Industries, at that point Tony didn't much care about it.

  "You seem pretty distracted Stark," Natasha passed by him about half an hour later when he was trying to watch some movie and reconstruct some designs on his tablet. She had squeezed his shoulder as she passed and it made his gut wrench as he thought about Steve and when he'd do that.

  "I miss him," he sighed as she came around to lounge out next to him.

  "You do realize that half the time you're gone it's for more than two weeks, how do you think Steve feels during that time?" she raised her eyebrow and looked over to the TV, she couldn't figure out what movie it was.

  "But I'm selfish, we all know this and you don't think I don't miss him while I'm away either?" he glared at her and she chuckled.

  "Come on, let's go a few rounds in the gym, it will clear your mind," she jumped back up and offered a hand to him which he looked warily at, "I'll go easy," she softened her expression and he sighed. He didn't take her hand but rather just put his tablet down, saved it all and stood up on his own. She led him down towards the gym and they did go a few rounds and he did forget everything.

                He wouldn't say they were necessarily having fun…no not at all, but it was easier to laugh and forget everything when Natasha had him on the ground in a lock and tickling him.

  "Stop! Please stop! Oh my god!" Tony laughed as he tried to roll around and get away from Natasha, she too was smiling and giggling here and there.

  "Not until you say it Stark!" she quickly brushed her hand up and down his side, making him squirm more. He was even crying at this point and trying not to pee his pants.

  "No! Never! I'll never say it!" he writhed under her grip.

  "Oh is it tickle Stark to death time? I want to join in!" Clint spotted them on the wrestling mat and quickly bounced over to try and join.

  "Oh come on, this isn't fair!" Tony wailed when Natasha let Clint bend down and blow a raspberry on Tony's exposed tummy. More laughing fits until Tony literally felt like he was going to pass out, but it was that good kind of pass out. And his stomach hurt from laughing too much but it was the good hurt.

  "Alright, alright, we'll stop so you don't piss yourself," Natasha let go of him and he just laid here trying to regain his breath and guard his sides in case Clint tried anything funny.

  "You know, you look good when you actually laugh," Clint commented and Tony quickly lashed out to punch him in the stomach.

  "Butt munch," Tony grumbled, still in a light hearted mood though.

  "You should be talking ass wipe," Clint grinned and Tony just gave him a side long glance as he tried to hoist himself up. Natasha was already standing and wiping the sweat off her with her towel but she was still smiling at them. "You're the one who—hmpf!" Clint was suddenly silence when Tony launched himself at the man to tackle him. The odds were quickly turned when Clint had him in a head lock, Tony growled and tried to flip them over but Clint was a little too heavy for him and he was still feeling weak from being tickled so much.

  "Come on Clint, let him up," Natasha chuckled quietly and pulled Clint away, pinching that nerve just right so he let go of Tony.

  "Tasha," he warned but she just continued her way to the showers. Clint did let him go but stuck his tongue out at Tony before he left; it was all in good fun though. Tony laid on the mat smiling to himself; it did feel good to smile. It was a few minutes later that he tried to get up, his back was sore but felt so much better after Natasha had 'accidentally' popped it back into place. He was finally back up on his feet and he stretched out feeling his muscles bunching up a little too much.

                Up to his room again he walked into the bathroom, eyeing himself in the mirror. He striped his shirt off to look at the arc reactor humming quietly in his chest. He sighed as he touched it and lazily dragged his finger around the rim; something Steve would do whilst admiring it. And finally into the shower to get rid of the sweat he had accumulated during the play time.

                Finally after a few more hours in the workshop toying with the idea of a larger fish tank, Tony decided he should take a nap to prepare for when Steve would get home. His buzz was ecstatic at the thoughts of Steve finally holding him again, lacing their fingers together and kissing him. Tony stripped himself down to his boxers and crawled into his oversized bed, happy for its warmth and comfort. Just as he was dropping off into sleep Jarvis's voice sounded above him.

  "Sir, you may want to check up on Captain Rogers's Betta fish before he returns home," Jarvis informed him and Tony groaned.

  "You pick now of all times to tell me this," Tony groaned into the pillow but he knew he should actually go feed the damn fish just to make sure he lived so Steve wouldn't freak out on him.

  "Terribly sorry sir, but I have been preoccupied with the virus," Jarvis did not sound amused as Tony grumbled, getting himself out of bed.

  "How much do I feed him?" Tony asked as he walked down towards Steve's room.

  "Approximately 6 of the NLS pellets or until his belly is full," Jarvis replied and Tony contorted his face.

  "What the hell is NLS? National League of Screw-ups?"

  "New Life Spectrum, sir, it is one of the most recommended Betta Pellets on the market if my calculations are correct and they are hardly ever the opposite."

  "Cheeky bastard," Tony grumbled as he let himself into the room, it smelled wonderfully like Steve. Tony went for the fish tank and picked up the small container of food next to it and inspected the label, his eye caught the red fish blazing back and forth in his tank like he was surfing.

  "Wish Steve didn't have to take care of you so he could spend more time with me, it's not fair you get all his attention," Tony growled at the betta who blew another bubble at him and continued on his surfing spree. "Spazzy MoFo huh," Tony hummed as he opened the container to throw six pellets into the tank and closed it back up. He looked over to Steve's bed which looked a hell of a lot more comfortable than his own. So without further ado he crawled in and cuddled into the blanket, taking a deep breath of the scent that lulled him to sleep.

                Tony slept peacefully, it was the first time in a few months that he actually slept; PTSD keeping him awake most nights with his super-soldier. It's what partly made them a good pair though, most of the time they both couldn't sleep and so they kept each other occupied during the rough times. But this time, he slept a dreamless sleep. Not to be woken for a few hours.

  "Tony," a voice called him through his sleep, it sounded so surreal that he couldn't tell if it actually was real or not. Something nudged at his shoulder but it felt too warm to be anything else but a blanket. And again his name was called "…Tony?"

  "No, I don't want to…you can't…can't make me," Tony grumbled quietly in his sleep and he could have sworn he heard a chuckle. Frustrated that someone would laugh at him he growled until he felt that warm touch again to his shoulder.

  "Come on Tony, wake up," Tony finally figured it out, Steve was home! He quickly dragged himself back into the real world, excited to see his lover once more. Eyes open. He took in a deep breath, feeling like he had held his breath for too long as if he were being plunged under water.

  "Hey babe, good morning," Steve was smiling at him and he smiled back when he was finally in his sight. Steve was kneeling at the bedside and smoothing back his hair. Tony smiled at the warm welcome and then Steve looked over his right shoulder, Tony instantly knew something was wrong.

  "You killed him…" Steve growled, now looking back to Tony, his face contorted to match a revolting anger.

  "What?!" Tony yelped as he got up on his elbow to look over to the fish tank. The lighting turned red as he watched the god-forsaken fish being sucked up into the filter. He could hear the grinding and crunching of bones and something screaming.

  "You _killed_ my fish! You burned Gallifrey!" Steve was screaming and he literally picked up the tank and threw it at Tony.

                Tony woke up sweating from his dream and whimpering to himself. He found himself sitting up and he looked over to the tank to see Steve looking into it. Steve quickly looked back to him with a concerned expression as he came over to hug his boyfriend.

  "Hey, hey, it's alright, it was just a dream whatever it was. You okay? Hmm?" Steve sat on his bed next to his lover to hold him tight.

  "No, no, no I'm not alright, your fish, Gallifrey! He was—wait where is he?" Tony contorted his body over Steve's to look into the tank. The brilliant red fish was not swimming around, flaring and blowing bubbles at Tony.

  "I don't know, I was just looking for him, sometimes he hides under rocks and stuff. Did he die? You know it's alright if he did, I mean he was a good fish but things happen," Steve questioned as Tony crawled out of bed to look into the tank.

  "No, he was alive just a few hours ago! I fed him before I fell asleep!" Tony defended, refusing to believe his dream.

  "It's alright Tony he was—"

  "No Steve, he was alive, even Jarvis could tell you!" Tony said angrily at him, this was not the way he wanted Steve to come home to.

  "Is the filter running?" Steve questioned as he came over, he lifted the lid off the filter and had to chuckle at himself.

  "I'm sorry, I turned it on after you left, I didn't think he'd be sucked up here!" Tony pleaded to his partner.

  "Tony, it's alright," Steve shushed him, Tony was about to speak again but Steve knelt down by him and gave him a kiss, "it wasn't your fault. I forgot to put the filter cap back on after the last water change," Steve pulled him in to hug him.

  "But I—"

  "No but's Tony, it wasn't your fault, you were just trying to take care of him for me like I asked you to," Steve breathed in his musty and oily smell which was home for him.

  "Can I buy you a new one?" Tony looked up at him; Steve had to smile at his innocence. Realizing that everything Tony made he could fix if it broke, but he couldn't exactly fix a dead and torn up fish.

  "I think maybe I should focus a little more on you than a fish," Steve commented, he liked the way Tony's face lit up before he kissed him long and slow.

  "I can deal with that," Tony murmured as he felt on of Steve's massive hands glide down his back to grope at his backside. Tony would have let that glorious hand do what it will with him but he caught a glimpse of the tank again and sighed. "Can we at least flush him…or try to?" he asked, still feeling bad about the fish and silently hating it for dying while in his care.

  "Sure," Steve smiled at him and playfully kissed his cheek with a loud smack. Tony had to smile at him as he sat back more on that hand. Steve just grinned more and squeeze Tony's ass a little before he swiftly and easily picked up his genius to deposit him on the bed.

  "You know, I was going to get you a huge fish tank with all sorts of Betta's and then Jarvis ruined it by telling me I couldn't," Tony pouted as he laid on the bed, propped on his elbows.

  "I could barely handle a 5 gallon tank you want to upgrade it already?" Steve laughed as he started to unbutton his button up shirt. Tony quickly sat up to help in the process, kissing Steve's pectorals and Abs.

  "I thought you did good on the tank, looks nice to me," Tony mumbled when he finally untucked the shirt to nip just below Steve's navel.

  "Did well," Steve corrected before he gasped at Tony's little bites. Steve's hands were at Tony's shoulders and entangling itself into his black hair. "I love it when you do that," Steve breathed as Tony worked just above his belt while trying to loosen up the darn thing. And of course it was at that precise moment that he was able to get the belt unbuckled that the Avenger's alarm went off. Steve would never forget how Tony growled at it in frustration as he laughed, however disappointed himself.


End file.
